Astronomers Discover Rings with Near-Perfect Symmetry in the Cat’s Eye Nebula Researchers have constructed the first computer-generated three-dimensional model of the Cat's Eye Nebula, revealing a pair of symmetric rings around the nebula's outer shell. The rings’ symmetry suggests they were formed
An image of the Cat’s Eye Nebula that was taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. Credit: NASA/CXC/SAO/K.Arcand, SYSTEM Sounds Researchers have constructed the first computer-generated three-dimensional model of the Cat’s Eye Nebula, revealing a pair of symmetric rings around the nebula’s outer shell. The rings’ symmetry suggests they were formed by a precessing jet originating from the nebula’s central star. This provides strong evidence for a binary star at the center of the nebula.
The nebula’s mysterious structure confounded astrophysicists because it could not be explained by previously accepted theories for planetary nebula formation. More recent research showed that precessing jets were potential shaping mechanisms in complex planetary nebulae such as NGC 6543, but lacked a detailed model.
The researchers used spectral data from the San Pedro Martir National Observatory in Mexico to reconstruct the nebula’s three-dimensional structure’s three-dimensional structure. These provide detailed information on the internal motion of material in the nebula. Together with these data and images from the Hubble Space Telescope, Clairmont constructed a novel 3D model, establishing that rings of high-density gas were wrapped around the outer shell of the Cat’s Eye.
As the angle and direction of the jet changed over time, it likely formed all of the features seen in the Cat’s Eye, including the jets and knots. Using the three-dimensional model, the researchers were able to calculate the tilt and opening angle of the precessing jet based on the orientation of the rings.
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